MOSH PITHY:
A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.
Drudkh – “The Nocturnal One”
Although this newsletter isn’t (overtly) concerned with politics or international relations, I think most people reading this can agree that the current situation in Ukraine is harrowing and awful. As with all conflicts, it’s the everyday working people who ultimately get caught in the crossfire and have their lives tragically upended. In an official press release from their label, Season of Mist, Kharkiv black metal quartet Drudkh announced the release of their latest single, “The Nocturnal One”:
“The song and video were originally not slated for release until later this year, along with a new record from the band. However, due to the increasingly dangerous situation in their homeland, being situated in the epicenter of the invasion, the band has requested that the video be released immediately as sign of Ukrainian resistance. Drudkh has always shown unwavering pride for their country through their music. This poignant statement is a testament to their fighting spirit and love for their homeland.”
Watch the video for “The Nocturnal One” below:
Cold Gawd – Moving to California in March
Ostensibly a song about taking that ‘Big Next Step’ (whatever that may be), “Moving to California in March” is the dreamy new single from Rancho Cucamonga shoegazers and Dais Records signees Cold Gawd. It’s got all the lush hallmarks and atmospheric textures one expects from a shoegaze outfit in 2022, yet the sextet bring something fresh to the table, incorporating a mutual love for early ‘00s nu-gaze and R‘n’B melodies. Stream the single here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
True Faith – “Running Away”
After coming through with last year’s standout They Can Always Hurt You More LP, Boston post-punks True Faith are back with a fancy new single. “Running Away” keeps guitarist/vocalist Travis Benson’s poetic focus on the human condition firmly in place alongside swirling ‘80s soundscapes, Francisco Ilabaca’s sparkling synths, and pulsing rhythm patterns from bassist Dylan Kotliar and drummer Nauman Javed. Listen to “Running Away” here.
Stiff Flesh – Xcess Flesh
UK hardcore is on an absolute tear right now and London ragers Stiff Meds are the latest in a long line of acts bringing the fight and fury back to the mosh pit. The band’s newest four-track Xcess Flesh is a total fastcore blitz, a powerful fusion of crusty old-school spirit with contemporary powerviolence antagonism. Simply put, this shit rocks. Stream the EP in full here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Bearings – “Shaking Your Mind”
I really enjoyed Ontario pop-punkers Bearing’s last record, 2020’s Hello, It’s You, and their latest single “Shaking Your Mind” is just as good—if not better. The track has these upbeat verses with delicate harmonic phrasing and then a huge, sticky chorus where frontman Doug Cousins sounds like the spitting image of Chris LoPorto from New Jersey alt-rockers Can’t Swim. Deja vu aside, here’s to hoping that we get more from Bearings this year. Listen to “Shaking Your Mind” here.
Warfare – Doomsday / Drop Squad
Stacked with some of hardcore’s heaviest hitters, Warfare are a ‘super group’ in the most literal sense of the term. The band features Triple B Records boss Sam Yarmuth on vocals, Justice Tripp (Trapped Under Ice, Angel Du$t) and Ryan Boone (Ammunation, Death Injection) on guitar, Madison Woodward (Fury) on bass, and Sam Bosson (Blazing Eye, Kommand, ex-Trash Talk) on drums. Shit, even their sophomore LP Doomsday (out March 11th) has gnarly guest features, including God’s Hate frontman Brody King on the old-school jam “Drop Squad.” Suffice to say, this release is shaping up to be a real all-star special. Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Midnight – “Szex Witchery”
In the world of black/speed/thrash metal, Athenar is a one-man wrecking ball. His latest full-length effort as Midnight and first for Metal Blade Records, Let There Be Witchery, plays out like mainlining adrenaline and then running full bore through a blazing inferno. Picture the best bits of Darkthrone, Hellhammer, Venom, and Motörhead in a blender with bile, sweat, and spit—nothing but fast, filthy fun. Watch the video for “Szex Witchery” below:
Rip Room – Alight and Resound
Sounding like the bastard child of Hüsker Dü and Fugazi, Bay Area noise punks Rip Room conjure up quite a racket on their forthcoming Spartan Records debut, Alight and Resound, out May 27th. Recorded with engineer Tim Green (Nation of Ulysses, Melvins, Bikini Kill), there’s enough digital polish here to clean up their act without washing away the wandering basslines, angular riffs, and laconic lyrical delivery that drips with laconic Cali attitude. Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2022 TUNES playlist, updated weekly.
HEAVY METTLE:
A closer, more in-depth look at a new record that ticks all my boxes.
Beachheads – Beachheads II
Listening to “Death Of A Nation” by Beachheads is a total trip. Much of Beachheads II, the group’s latest album for Fysisk Format, sounds like breezy lo-fi surf rock. The ten-track LP is full of songs like “Change” and the single “Jupiter,” jangly mid-tempo compositions bolstered by four-pronged sugar-sweet Beach Boys harmonies. If you close your eyes and drift away a little, they’re tunes that could easily be blasted out from an open-top summer ride on an Australian beach town highway.
Except that Beachheads are from the frosty Northern clime of Oslo, the Norweigan power-pop side project of Vidar Landa and Marvin Nygaard from black ‘n’ roll superstars Kvelertak. And despite its upbeat, jaunty sonics, “Death Of A Nation” isn’t about catching waves, or cruising through the sunshine with your mates. It’s about fascism and the rise of authoritarianism.
Originally released in 2019 as a while-you-wait teaser between LPs, the track starts off with vocalist Børild Haughom’s playing fascism straight: “They got it right/ Fascism for everybody/ Who’s up for fights/ Distributing pamphlets/ Let’s start tonight.” This description quickly turns to disavowal though (“Don’t justify/ Death of a nation”), as Haughom condemns racism and ethical demoralization, looking instead for that great big exit sign to outer space.
Stream here: Bandcamp | Spotify
ERRONEOUS BOTCH:
Links to some of my other published work across the Web. Take a look, share if you feel like it, and help a brother out.
Vein.fm’s latest full-length album, This World Is Going to Ruin You, is finally out and it’s an absolute monster. I spoke with frontman Anthony DiDio about the record for Bandcamp, and the conversation went long on nostalgia, horror movie aesthetics, and the dangers of social isolation. Check it out below.